Public Act 094-1034
 		





SB2202 Enrolled
LRB094 16365 NHT 51616 b






    AN ACT concerning education.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:


 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by changing Section 
21-2.1 as follows:
 



    (105 ILCS 5/21-2.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 21-2.1)



    Sec. 21-2.1. Early childhood certificate. 

    (a) An early childhood certificate
shall be valid for 4 
years for teaching children up to 6 years of age,
exclusive
of 
children enrolled in kindergarten, in facilities approved by 
the State
Superintendent of Education.
Beginning July 1, 1988, 
such certificate shall be valid for 4 years for
Teaching 
children through grade 3 in facilities approved by the State

Superintendent of Education.  Subject to the provisions of 
Section 21-1a,
it shall be issued to persons who have graduated

from a recognized institution of higher learning with a 
bachelor's degree
and with not fewer than 120 semester hours 
including professional education
or human development or, 
until July 1, 1992, to persons who have early
childhood 
education instruction and practical
experience involving 
supervised work with children under 6 years of age
or with 
children through grade 3.
Such persons shall be recommended for 
the early childhood certificate by
a recognized institution as 
having completed an approved program of preparation
which 
includes the requisite hours and academic and professional 
courses
and practical experience approved by the State 
Superintendent of Education
in consultation with the State 
Teacher Certification Board. The student teaching portion of 
such practical experience may be satisfied through placement in 
any of grades pre-kindergarten (which consists of children from 
3 years through 5 years of age) through 3, provided that the 
student is under the active supervision of a cooperating 
teacher who is certified and qualified in early childhood 
education.  Paraprofessionals with at least one year of 
experience in a school or community-based early childhood 
setting who are enrolled in early-childhood teacher 
preparation programs may be paid and receive credit while 
student teaching with their current employer, provided that 
their student teaching experience meets the requirements of 
their early-childhood teacher preparation program.


    (b) Beginning February 15, 2000, Initial and Standard
Early

Childhood
Education
Certificates shall be issued to persons who 
meet the criteria established by
the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-811, eff. 1-26-99; 
91-102, eff. 7-12-99.)